Govt. to take action against Rohingya protestors

• Says IGP should hold an inquiry, condemns attack 
• Recalls that Rohingya refugees were in SL before  
• Says Sri Lankans have been refugees as well

By Chathuri Dissanayake 

Levelling a scathing criticism against the Buddhist monks that engaged in demonstrations against a group of Rohingya refugees, Co-cabinet spokesperson and Senior Government Minister Rajitha Senaratne yesterday said strong action should be taken against the protestors and police team which failed to take appropriate action. 

“If anyone has attacked a refugee safe house then they should be arrested despite being monks, and anyone who stood by when that was happening should also be dealt with by the law. The Government will take action on this,” Senaratne said while speaking at the weekly Cabinet press briefing.  

“The IGP should be instructed to take action against those policemen who stood by without taking action.”  A group of people led by several Buddhist monks protested against the asylum seekers being hosted for the second day today. On Tuesday, about 100 individuals led by monks of the Sinhale Jathika Balamuluwa organisation protested in front of the shelter facility where the 31 Rohingya refugees were housed. As the demonstration got violent, with some protestors throwing stones at the facility and others attempting to break through the gates, police took action to take the refugees into protective custody. 

However, police did not arrest any of the protestors who attacked the facility. The refugees were later moved to Boossa immigration camp. Yesterday the protestors held a demonstration in front of the UNHCR office in Colombo. The group was first apprehended by the Sri Lanka Navy and produced in the magistrates’ courts in April this year. Following a court order, they were then handed over to the UNHCR. The group was then housed in a safe house in Mount Lavinia. 

Senaratne condemned the actions of the Buddhist monks involved in the attack saying they were not following the Buddha’s teaching.  

“Where in Buddhism has it been said that such action is okay? I am disgusted at the situation today. This is not the Buddha’s teaching. The Buddha advised his followers to help refugees, saying they are the most vulnerable,” he said. 

Drawing reference to two million Sri Lankan refugees living all over the world, Senaratne said that Sri Lankans who were fleeing to save their lives during the civil unrest benefited from the goodwill of European countries who hosted them. Senaratne insisted that the Rohingya refugees who are now in Sri Lanka will be allowed in the country until the UNHCR was able to place them in a permanent host country. 

Issuing a formal statement, the Government yesterday urged people to treat 31 Rohingya refugees in the country with compassion following violent protests against their stay by Buddhist monks. 

Stressing that the plight of the asylum seekers was “purely humanitarian in nature”, the Government pledged support to international efforts taken with regard to providing for the welfare of the Rohingya people.  The UNHCR too expressed concern over the attack on the refugee shelter housing mostly women and children on the outskirts of Colombo.

Highlighting that this was not the first time Sri Lanka hosted asylum seekers, Senaratne questioned the motive of the Buddhist priests. 

“The priests have got activated only now. But the Rohingya refugees first came to Sri Lanka in March 2008. Fifty-five people came and stayed till 2012. In 2013 another 101 asylum seekers came; they left in 2015 after we came to power. Where were those monks then? They said nothing as Mahinda Rajapaksa was in power,” he said.